Before emergency situations occur, it’s smart to have a plan in mind. When a tornado, snowstorm, or other natural disaster hits, it’s not the right time to start putting together a plan. Dental emergencies often work in a similar way. Although you can’t always anticipate or prevent them from happening, you can have a plan ready. Let’s say you’ve lost a dental crown, what steps should you take after that? Keep reading to learn more!
Step #1: Don’t Stress Out!
Although dental emergencies can easily induce panic and worry, try to stay calm. In other words, the situation may be stressful and unsettling, but you need to remain in control and make good decisions. Your choices during this time can make it easier or harder for the dentist to repair your lost crown. Your smile may be injured in the moment, but it will not stay that way, so take a deep breath and make good decisions.
Step #2: Find the Crown and Assess the Situation.
When you locate the crown, look closely at it. Does it appear to be damaged? You are not a trained professional, but if you can see clear chips, cracks, or other breakage, you know the crown will need to be replaced entirely. In some scenarios, such as if your crown is still relatively new and unharmed, it may simply need to be reattached more securely.
If you are unable to find the dental restoration, you should already accept that you’ll need a brand-new one as soon as possible.
Step #3: Call Your Emergency Dentist.
Even if you consider yourself a handy person with home or care repairs, do not for a moment think you can handle this dental emergency alone. Always call your dentist as quickly as you can to book a same-day appointment and resolve the issue.
What should you do if your dentist’s office is closed for the day? A few rare practices offer after-hours support for patients with a dental emergency. If yours has this service, definitely take advantage of it in a time of need. They can give you instructions on how to sleep or otherwise handle the situation until you get into the office.
Step #4: Work Out a Temporary Solution.
In an ideal world, you’d always get into the dental office right away to address your lost crown, but life doesn’t often work out that way. You may need to deal with your damaged restoration and tooth for a while until someone is available to treat it.
In the meantime, your exposed, vulnerable tooth must be protected from oral bacteria, which could infect the remaining structure. Chew a bit of sugar-free gum and place it over the tooth. Do not use superglue or any other adhesive to bond the crown back into place. These products can’t help under these circumstances and can make things worse!
If you can have these steps in mind when a dental emergency like this happens, you’ll know what to do and be able to get your smile back to full function and health in no time!
About the Practice
In six locations throughout Lincoln, Williamsburg Dental is more than a little familiar with the needs of the community. Unlike most dental practices, our team offers a 24-hour emergency support hotline for our patients, and we make time in our schedule for same-day emergency appointments. If you want a dental practice that is there for you when you need it most, contact your preferred Williamsburg location.